A prominent bishop in the first half of the 3rd century CE, Alexander (d. 250/251 CE) is primarily remembered today through his relationship with Origen as recorded in Book 6 of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Historia ecclesiastica. Little is known of Alexander’s early life. In a letter to Origen (preserved in Eus. Hist. eccl. 6.14.8–9), he refers to Pantaenus and Clement of Alexandria as his past teachers through whom he came to know Origen himself. This statement has encouraged the belief that Alexander studied in Alexandria together with Origen, altho…